HIIN Podcast Series

Welcome to the HRET Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN)!

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services awarded the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) a two-year HIIN contract (with an optional third year based on performance), to continue efforts to reduce all-cause inpatient harm by 20 percent and readmissions by 12 percent by 2018. An American Journal of Medical Quality article, written by HRET staff, explores the relationship between engagement in improvement activities and affected quality measures.

According to AHRQ, an estimated 125,000 fewer patients died in the hospital and approximately $28 billion in health care costs were saved as a result of reductions in Hospital Acquired Conditions. Although the precise causes of the decline in patient harm are not fully understood, the increase in safety occurred during a period of concerted attention by hospitals throughout the country to reduce adverse events, including the work of hospitals that participated the Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) and HEN 2.0.

Get MOC! Maintenance of Certification Part IV Credit

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has announced that the American Hospital Association (AHA) has joined the ABMS Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program™ (Portfolio Program). Hospitals and health systems participating in the AHA’s Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN) can now facilitate Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Improvement in Medical Practice (Part IV) credit for physicians who are Board Certified by one of the 21 of 24 ABMS Member Boards participating in the Portfolio Program.

The HRET HIIN is the first HIIN in the country to offer this service to its more than 1,600 participating hospitals. Through ABMS MOC Part IV credit, physicians can meet the requirements for maintaining their certification while meaningfully participating in quality improvement programs in their organizations. Partnering on ABMS MOC Part IV will also reduce duplication of quality improvement efforts. Physicians will earn credit for their work with the HRET HIIN hospitals on any of the HIIN-related hospital-acquired condition topics. This is an exciting opportunity for physicians and hospitals to continue their collaboration and create meaningful and sustained improvements in patient safety.

HRET will provide an online registration for all physicians interested in participating. A FAQ guide for the HRET HIIN state partners can be found by clicking the link below.

Get Familiar With quality leader management!

HRET HIIN has developed an education module for hospital quality leaders that focuses on key functions of a quality leader and how to create a quality structure at an organization to successfully promote quality improvement and patient safety. Be sure to view the module: Role and Responsibilities of the Quality Leader by clicking the link below.

Get Results! Utilize HRET HIIN Data Tools

Encyclopedia of Measures (EOM)

Comprehensive Data System

The secure, web-based collection and reporting system that hospitals use for HIIN. For instructions on how to access the CDS, there is a CDS Quick Start Guide for hospitals that are NEW to CDS, and for Returning hospitals.

HIIN Improvement Calculator

The HIIN Improvement Calculator enables hospitals to use data collected via the Comprehensive Data System (CDS) to calculate, and track, a "total harm per discharge" rate in pursuit of safety across the board. This Excel-based tool provides a simple end-user experience and not only calculates harms per discharge, but also calculates and displays harms prevented, lives saved, and costs saved. Users should take the time to review the “Instructions” tab included directly in the tool.

Check out the New HIIN Data Video Tutorials!

These short seven to ten minute video snippets on our data page are easy to follow guides on our data tools that allow you to binge watch the whole series, or simply select the individual topic that interests you now, and come back later for the rest! Our first release is a series of four video tutorials that provide a demonstration of the Comprehensive Data System (CDS).